Ever Graced Forever Cursed
by BenMused
Summary: Post 7th Season. Willow’s spell to create new slayers begins to weaken despite her power. Demons and Vampire sightings increase around a small town in western California near Sunnydale. A new Hellmouth begins to form, old and new faces alike appear.
1. Just Another Day in Paradise

Ever Graced. Forever Cursed  
  
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape, or form, have any part in the making or owning of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, or their characters. I'm just an obsessed fan wanting to write a nice fic involving them in various situations. So don't sue me, I have no money for you.  
  
Authors Note: This is the first chapter in the Ever Graced. Forever Cursed fic. All characters that are not mentioned in either of the shows are mine, and if you desperately need to use them in a fic, just write to me in a review or email me, asking for permission. Simple as that. (  
  
Summary: Set after the 7th and final season. Willow's spell to create new slayers begins to weaken despite her power. Demons and Vampire sightings increase around a small town in western California near Sunnydale. A new Hellmouth begins to form, old and new faces alike appear. And Buffy finds herself trapped in a struggle to escape the destiny she'd thought to have left behind...  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter One: Just another day in Paradise.  
  
The girl ran fast. Her shoes clacked under her feet as she ran hurriedly down the alleyway, towards the scream. Her short black hair swished out behind her, as she reached upwards with both hands and ripped her jacket off herself, leaving it behind in the alleyway, hoping to return for it later... If there was a later... As she pulled her stake from her pocket, she ran faster, her lungs pumping air quickly, and her muscles burning as they applied more strength and adrenaline.  
  
She was nearing them now. The sounds of a scuffle could be heard around the corner and she stopped running immediately. Backing into the shadows she listened for a moment, her back pressed against a wall, waiting for her heart to stop beating so loudly, and for some sort of sign that someone was still alive. Another scream confirmed it, and she started forward slowly, her right hand planted against the wall, following it to the edge of the building, and to the fight. Her other hand was wrapped tightly around her stake.  
  
There was no turning back now, and she jumped out around the corner, to see two vamps, closing in around another girl. A body lay slumped on the ground, and on closer inspection, the girl decided it was another human, already dead. "Hey!" She said loudly to the two vampires, who turned to look at her quickly, forgetting about the other girl, who bolted down an opposite alleyway. "How about picking on something your own size, and strength for that matter?" She asked them, waving her stake about, as if to threaten them.  
  
One of the vampire's, a tall, brown haired girl, snarled loudly. She moved her brown ponytail off her shoulder and prepared to battle. She clenched her fists and began to circle around the girl. The second vampire, a man, ran a hand through his short red hair. "I've been dying for another Slayer's blood." He hissed and began approaching her head on, although remaining cautious of the slayer's stake.  
  
The Slayer swallowed nervously. 'Great...' She thought to herself. 'I've only just became what I am! I've never fought two vampires before!' She cursed herself mentally, wishing she could have known why she had been given these powers in the first place. She couldn't back out now...  
  
The female vampire had grown dangerously close to the slayer while she had thought over the situation, and lunged quickly, hoping to claim the girl's blood. The slayer jumped backwards, and down onto her hands and knees. She balanced her weight on her hands and kicked outwards, knocking the vamp off of her feet in a moment.  
  
She tried to stand up, but felt hands against her back, shoving her roughly against a wall. She fell on her stomach, and quickly rolled onto her back to see the male vampire heading towards her, fire in his eyes. The female vampire still hadn't stood up.  
  
Focusing her energy, she kicked upwards, and picked herself up off the ground, and landed again on her feet. "Nice try." She told the vampires, a smirk on her face. The smirk was replaced quickly by a frown as she realized that the female vampire was no longer among them. "Lost your girlfriend?" She asked the male vampire, who smiled in return.  
  
She felt a cold wind behind her, and even colder hands grasp her around the shoulder and waist, holding her in place, as the male vampire moved towards her, pulling out a pocket knife and cutting the skin on his arm. Blood poured forth as teeth sank into her neck and she felt the arm of the male vampire press against her lips...  
  
~*~  
  
"No!" Buffy Anne Summers shouted, sitting up straight in her bed, the covers falling from her shoulders and into her lap. She was drenched in a cold sweat, and she sighed loudly. "Score one for the forces of evil." She said softly, and looked out the window towards the crescent moon that was shining down from high in the sky. For a moment, she was lost in thought, until she heard the door to her room creak open and voices speak.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow, Dawn, and Kennedy all asked in unison, looking in upon their friend and comrade. Willow's red hair was messy, and hung down slightly past her green flannel pajama top. She came forward and sat on the edge of Buffy's bed, looking her friend over for a moment. Kennedy stood against the wall, her arms crossed over her pajama's that matched Willow's. Dawn moved to the opposite side of her sister's bed, and climbed up, settling herself down in her sister's bed. She pulled the covers up over her and smiled at Buffy soothingly.  
  
"It's nothing." Buffy told them all, and shifted slightly, stretching out a little more. She bit her lip and replayed the dream over again in her mind, then took the time to speak again. "I saw another one. Of the slayers..." She admitted finally.  
  
"But that's the third time this month Buffy!" Kennedy said, her eyes narrowed in confusion.  
  
"I know it is." Buffy said back, looking down at her fingers, which were currently toying with the fabric of her bed sheet. "I've seen how many of them die now?" She asked, speaking mostly to herself then to anyone. "Twenty, thirty?" She asked. Her grip tightened on the sheet, and Dawn rested her head against her older sister's shoulder.  
  
"Buffy, you can't blame yourself." Dawn told her truthfully. "They all just got their powers a few months ago. And they don't have a watcher training them like you did when you first got your powers." She told her sister. "And you of all people should know that without training, you're not going to last long in this world where fighting the undead night life is quickly becoming the average teenage girls' high priority." She said, her tone sarcastic, as she'd learned from Buffy.  
  
Buffy smiled at Dawn. "When did you get so grown up?" She asked, sounding oddly similar to Joyce, her mother, who had passed away a few years ago. A pang of guilt and pain hit her. When Sunnydale was destroyed, the town had sunk, taking her mother's body with it. There was nothing that could be done about it now...  
  
Dawn smiled at Buffy and pushed the covers off of herself and climbed off the bed. "When I had a role model to follow after." She told her, and walked to the door to leave. "Now I'm getting some sleep, see you in the morning." She said, and took her leave.  
  
Kennedy pushed herself up back onto her feet. "Well..." I'm going back to bed too." She told Willow, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. "I'll see you later." She told her and followed Dawn from the room.  
  
Now that Willow and Buffy were alone, Willow's smile faded and she donned a more serious expression. "I'm worried about you Buffy." She told her truthfully. "When you were the only Slayer out there... Besides Faith of course, you got these visions for a reason. You saw the potentials being cut down, one by one by the Harbingers in your dreams. How is this any-"  
  
Buffy interrupted her quickly, not letting her finish her sentence. "Will, chill alright?" She asked her friend. "It'll all be all right, don't worry about it. I'm not the slayer anymore, it's not my destiny anymore and I don't have anything to worry about. I'm sure it's just..." She started, her mind searching for perfect response. "A fluke or something." She decided finally.  
  
Willow opened her mouth to speak again, and Buffy again, beat her to the chase. "I'm fine really. And if it means that much to you, I'll talk to Giles about it in the morning. We are in England after all, and we do get the whole seeing Giles every day thing." She told the red head. "Now go back to sleep." She commanded firmly.  
  
"Alright Buffy." Willow said finally, sighing loudly and standing to her feet. She walked to the door of the room and paused to look back in on her old friend. Buffy cradled her face in her hands, wishing the memory away. "See you in the morning."  
  
"Just another day in paradise..." Buffy spoke softly.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Authors Note: Well there it is, the first chapter up and running. If you're confused at all, don't worry. I'm having it all fall into place in the next few chapters. ( Please Read and Review! Constructive Criticism is appreciated. –hands you cookies- 


	2. Whispers from the Dark

Ever Graced. Forever Cursed  
  
Disclaimer: Again, I do not have any ties to Buffy or Angel whatsoever. I'm just a fan fiction writer who's been mused.  
  
Authors Note: Here's the second chapter in the EGFC fan fic written completely by me! If I start lacking in the updating-ness, just harass me lots and I promise I'll update the next chapter. And also harass me if the characters start getting OOC. I hate reading that in all fics, and I'm sure you guys don't enjoy it either. So, enjoy the newest chapter!  
  
Summary: Post 7th Season. Willow begins to weaken from the effects of the spell she cast in Chosen, and the Slayers around the world begin to dwindle without proper training. Buffy Summers couldn't care less, as she's finally almost escaped her destiny of becoming the chosen one.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Two: Whispers From the Dark  
  
Xander Harris, the young, black haired carpenter stood beside a small cross, made completely of wood, which had been thrust into the ground. The sun shone down upon him, and not a cloud remained in the sky. But Xander couldn't bring himself to smile, to even act happy at a time like this. He couldn't remember when he'd last been truly happy. Here he was, standing at Anya's makeshift grave. They didn't even have her body....  
  
He ran a hand over his cheek, up past the eye patch that he'd had to wear ever since his encounter with Caleb. He'd lost so much lately. "I'm so sorry." He said aloud suddenly, his voice breaking. "I didn't mean to hurt you Anya, on our wedding day." He admitted to the girl, who couldn't hear him, and that he'd never speak with again. "I was just scared..." He added finally.  
  
"Xander?" Another man's voice sounded from behind him. Andrew came forward, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped a few feet behind Xander, watching the older man's back, and his vision traveled from the gravestone back to him. "Giles wanted your help with something called a Gris'nak demon or something like that." He told him, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
Xander didn't move. He didn't speak, and he barely breathed. Eventually, he let out a deep sigh and turned to face Andrew. His mind was racing. He knew how Anya had died, how she had been protecting Andrew during the final battle. He couldn't help but feel spite towards the man. "Why are you still here?" He asked, and pushed past him, walking back towards Giles' home, leaving Andrew alone on the lawn to brood.  
  
Over both their shoulders, the wind moved through the tree leaves, and a voice whispered out to them. 'Help me." Too quietly for either of the men to notice...  
  
~*~  
  
Faith stood in the basement with a few of the newer Slayers, her chest heaving. She wore a tank top and jeans, sweat dripped off her forehead as she looked over the girls. "You're getting better." She told them at last, and smirked as she usually did. Smiling just wasn't her game. "Maybe you'll actually stand a chance against a demon or two." She added for good measure.  
  
The Slayers smiled back happily, and ran from the room to catch a shower or a meal before they had to head off to wherever it was they were needed next. Faith immediately moved to the corner of the room and began gathering the weapons. She picked up a few stakes, pocketing one just for the heck of it. She pulled a crossbow up from the floor and pulled the arrow from it's chamber. "If only they could clean up after themselves too." She sighed.  
  
She was so busy cleaning the mess that she hadn't even heard the door to the basement open, and Buffy step inside. "Hey." The blonde greeted the other girl. Faith stopped moving and turned to look at her slowly, a knife gripped in her hand. Buffy looked at her wearily, not sure if the girl would get with the crazy making and attack her again.  
  
Faith noticed. "I'm not gonna stab you or anything B." She told her, and placed the knife in a weapon cabinet to her left. Buffy made a noise in her throat, something between a scoff, and a sigh. She crossed her arms over her chest, and looked down towards the floor for a moment, before looking up to speak again.  
  
"I never thought you were going to." She said, more to prove it to herself then to Faith. The brunette sent the other girl an exasperated look. Buffy knew that she had thought, on some level, that faith might attack her when given the chance.  
  
"Just because you stabbed me B, doesn't mean I'm always looking for a chance to return the favor." Faith told her, using her favorite nickname for the girl. "I'm over that now, I was a long time ago and you- you of all people should know that Buffy." She said, not trying to mask her emotions.  
  
Buffy shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not here to argue Faith." She told her, looking her straight in the eye for a few moments. "I needed to talk to you about something." The blonde added.  
  
"You mean the dreams?" Faith automatically assumed and Buffy looked up at her, a shocked and confused expression twisting her own facial expressions.  
  
"How did you know?" Buffy asked the girl, standing up and looking at her, completely serious now. "I mean I haven't told anyone besides Dawn and Willow, and Willow told Kennedy." Buffy started, rambling audibly as her mind sifted over all the possible ways that Faith could possibly know anything about her dreams. "Unless you've been-"  
  
"Having them too." Faith cut Buffy off and continued her thoughts for her. "Yeah B, I have." She admitted. "And you're not too quiet with the whole waking up and screaming thing either. Both ways, I was bound to find out sooner rather then later anyways." She said, and busied herself with picking up a book of spells from a side table and setting it on a shelf.  
  
"Well what do you make of them?" Buffy asked impatiently, whishing that Faith would just turn around and look at her for two seconds.  
  
"I think they're important Buffy." Faith said honestly, a new side of her showing for a change. "The last time you had dreams- when you saw the potentials, it was for good reason. We were meant to save them B." Faith said simply, and jumped up, settling herself down on the washing machine, her feet dangling down below her.  
  
"And we did Faith." Buffy replied. "We saved them from Uber Vamp. We trained them, and we fought with them against the First Evil and his minions of demoney-destruction." Buffy replied. "Willow imbued the Scythe with every past Slayer's powers to create new Slayers!" Buffy said desperately. She didn't want to have to relive the past seven years all over again, fighting more evil for another seven. She didn't know if she could handle it anymore. Not with what she'd seen.  
  
"That doesn't matter Buffy." Faith told her sadly, but truthfully. "We're Slayers, girlfriend. The Chosen Two." She said, quoting herself with what she had said years ago, around when they had first met each other. "Well... The first Chosen two for our generation anyway..." She added, her eyes clouding over as she tried to work the thought out in her head.  
  
"I don't want to be the Slayer anymore." Buffy said finally, and walked up the stairs slowly, leaving a bewildered Faith behind.  
  
~*~  
  
"Giles." Willow Rosenberg said as she entered the small kitchen with a breakfast nook. Four of the Slayers sat there, chatting away with each other over a cup of coffee, ignoring the sudden appearance of the read haired witch, and the fact that Giles, Buffy's former watcher, was standing in front of his refrigerator, looking inside.  
  
"Oh yes, hullo Willow." The older man said, looking over at Willow and smiling. "Lovely morning isn't it?" He asked her, and looked back into the refrigerator without waiting for her answer. "Oh, was there... Something you needed?" He asked her, a bit absentmindedly as he reached out for a jug of milk.  
  
"Oh yes, just great." Willow said hurriedly answering him. "But all happy niceties aside, has Buffy talked to you yet today?" She asked him quickly. She pulled a coffee mug out of the cupboards and poured herself a cup of coffee as she waited for Giles to speak again. "Cream please." She added over his shoulder.  
  
"Oh no I haven't spoken to Buffy since... Last night I'd say." Giles replied, handing Willow the cream from the top shelf. She poured the cream into her cup and handed it back to Giles, who spoke up again. "Why do you ask?"  
  
The girls who sat in the small breakfast nook looked up from their mugs, and immediately stopped talking, looking from the Witch, to Giles, and back to Willow again, waiting for her response as most teenage girls do when they're listening for gossip. Willow shot them a pleading glance, and leaned in to speak more softly to Giles.  
  
"Well last night she had a dream..." Willow started, trying to send a mental message to Giles with her eyes. Giles didn't catch on.  
  
"What kind of dream?" He asked her quickly, and a bit loudly. The girls at the table looked away quickly and gathered their things and let the room together after receiving a quick glare from Giles. He turned back to Willow afterwards, a concerned expression on his face.  
  
"Well it wasn't exactly fire and brimstone..." Willow admitted halfheartedly. "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't look into it!" She added quickly. "See saw a Slayer, being turned by Vamps. And it's not the first time Giles. She's had this dream more then twenty times these past months!" Willow said hurriedly. Giles' eyes just about popped out of his head. His expression turned cold and serious.  
  
"I knew this was going to happen." He muttered under his breath and sat the carton of milk down on the counter.  
  
"What was going to happen?" Willow asked quickly.  
  
"Nothing." Giles replied and pulled a coat off the coat rack and swung it over his shoulders. "I'll see what I can find out." He said, and left through the door leading from the kitchen.  
  
"Ok..." Willow started, and picked up the jug of milk. "I can take not being told things... I mean, it's not like I'm a big part of the- Ahh!" She screamed suddenly, and dropped the milk carton. A sharp pain flooded through her, and she could feel her powers being drained again. It had happened before, as it did every time a new slayer that was created from the spell took an old slayer's place after she died. But it had never been this bad.  
  
This time the pain entered her heart, and tore through her. She gasped loudly, and fell to her knees, spinning into blackness as she lost consciousness.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Well that's it for Chapter 2 my friends! Thanks for reading it through and putting up with my non-existent writing skills for a while. Remember, reviews are what keep me going. I'll give you a cookie if you review... 


End file.
